Verbena plant named ‘Kievertriviok’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Verbena plant named ‘Kievertriviok’, characterized by its compact, mounded and outwardly spreading plant habit; freely branching habit; dark green leaves; and white and dark purple bi-colored flowers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Verbenaplant, botanically known as Verbena hybrida, and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘Kievertriviok’.

The new Verbena was discovered by the Inventor in 1997 as anaturally-occurring branch mutation of an unnamed Verbena hybridaseedling selection in a greenhouse in Venhuizen, The Netherlands. Thenew Verbena was selected by the Inventor on the basis of its uniqueflower color and compact growth habit.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken in acontrolled environment in Venhuizen, The Netherlands, since the winterof 1998, has shown that the unique features of this new Verbena arestable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexualreproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Kievertriviok’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Kievertriviok’ as a new and distinctcultivar:

1. Compact, mounded and outwardly spreading plant habit.

2. Freely branching habit.

3. Dark green leaves; densely foliated.

4. White and dark purple bi-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Verbena differ primarily from plants of the mutationparent in flower color and plant habit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Verbena.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘Kievertriviok’ grown in a 15-cmcontainer for about 17 weeks.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a close-up view oftypical developing inflorescences, upper and lateral surfaces of typicalinflorescences, and upper and lower surfaces of typical leaves of‘Kievertriviok’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The cultivar Kievertriviok has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, waterstatus, and fertilizer rates without, however, any variance in genotype.The following observations, measurements and comparisons describe plantsgrown in Lompoc, Calif., under commercial practice during the summer andautumn in a polycarbonate-covered greenhouse with day temperatures about24 to 29° C., night temperatures about 16 to 18° C. and light levelsabout 5,000 to 9,000 foot-candles. Unrooted cuttings were directlyplanted in 15-cm containers and grown for about 17 weeks and pinchedtwice. In the following description, color references are made to TheRoyal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

Botanical classification: Verbena hybrida cultivar Kievertriviok.

Parentage: Naturally-occurring branch mutation of unnamed Verbenahybrida seedling selection.

Propagation:

Type cutting.—Terminal cuttings.

Time to initiate roots.—Summer: About 14 days at 22° C. Winter: About 21days at 22° C.

Time to produce a rooted cutting or liner.—Summer: About 21 days at 22°C. Winter: About 24 days at 22° C.

Root description.—Fine, fibrous, white in color.

Rooting habit.—Freely branching.

Plant description:

General appearance.—Compact, mounded and outwardly spreading planthabit. Appropriate for 15-cm and larger containers.

Growth and branching habit.—Vigorous and freely-branching with about 8lateral branches, dense and bushy growth. Pinching, that is, removal ofthe terminal apices, enhances branching with lateral branchespotentially forming at every node.

Crop time.—About 13 to 17 weeks are required to produce a finishedflowering plant from planting an unrooted cutting in a 15-cm pot.

Plant height.—About 16 cm.

Plant diameter or spread.—About 55 cm.

Lateral branches.—Length: About 28 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm. Internodelength: About 3 cm. Texture: Pubescent. Color: 146C.

Foliage description.—Leaves simple, opposite; generally symmetrical.Quantity: Densely foliated, about 26 leaves per lateral branch. Length:About 5.8 cm. Width: About 2.4 cm. Shape: Deltoid. Apex: Broadly acute.Base: Acute. Margin: Irregularly crenate. Texture: Coarse; bothsurfaces, pubescent. Venation pattern: Pinnate, netted. Color: Young andfully expanded foliage, upper surface: 147A; venation, 147C. Young andfully expanded foliage, lower surface: 147B; venation, 147D. Petiole:Length: About 1 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Color: 147D.

Flower description:

Flower type and habit.—Single upright salverform white and dark purplebi-colored flowers with light green to white “eye” arranged on terminalracemes; flowers sessile. Freely flowering with about 28 flower perraceme. Inflorescences positioned above and beyond the foliage. Flowerslast about 4 days under greenhouse conditions. Flowers persistent.Flowers not fragrant.

Flowering season.—In the garden, flowering is continuous from springuntil fall.

Flower size.—Diameter: About 2 cm. Height: About 2.5 cm. Tube length:About 2.5 cm. Throat diameter: About 2 mm.

Flower buds.—Rate of opening, from showing color to fully open flower:About 1 to 2 days. Length, at stage of showing color: About 2 cm.Diameter, at stage of showing color: About 4 mm. Shape: Tubular. Color:69C to 69D.

Petals.—Quantity/arrangement: Five per flower fused at base. Lobelength: About 8 mm. Lobe width: About 8 mm. Shape: Rounded. Apex:Emarginate. Margin: Entire. Texture: Velvety, smooth. Color: Whenopening, upper surface: Ground color, 85C to 85D, covered with randomflecks, 83A. When opening, lower surface: Ground color, 69D, coveredwith random flecks, 83C to 83D. Fully opened, upper surface: Groundcolor, 155C, covered with random flecks, 83A to 83C. With subsequentdevelopment, ground color, 155D, covered with random flecks, 83B to 83D.Fully opened, lower surface: Ground color, 69D, covered with randomflecks, 83C to 83D. Throat: 144D. Tube: 69D.

Sepals.—Quantity/arrangement: Five, fused into a tube. Calyx length:About 1.2 cm. Calyx diameter: About 2 mm. Shape: Elongated. Apex: Acute.Margin: Entire. Texture: Coarse; both surfaces, pubescent. Color: Uppersurface: 138D. Lower surface: 138C.

Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Four. Anther shape: Ovoid.Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther color: 144C. Pollen amount: Scarce.Pollen color: 144C. Pistils: Quantity: One. Pistil length: About 2 cm.Stigma shape: Bi-lobed. Stigma color: 144C. Style length: About 1.8 cm.Style color: 144D. Ovary color: 144C.

Seed.—None observed.

Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Verbena have not beenobserved to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Verbena.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Verbena plant named‘Kievertriviok’, as illustrated and described.